I tend to stay away from job postings where you're required to provide salary expectations as part of your application package, before they even meet you. That may have been appropriate for summer jobs when you're a teenager, but in big boy (and girl) land, that just smells of a cheap company. And if the company is going to be cheap in that particular way, you can expect them to be cheap in other areas as well -- such as training and development.

Buy a package of generic thank you notes and keep them in your car. After the interview go to your car and write the notes in your car. Address them with the interviewers name on the envelope and drop them off with the receptionist before you leave.

Interesting, I just had a conversation about the demise of hand-written thank you notes. It is true e-mail gets there faster. This is your chance to close the deal, so speed does matter. However, a hand-written note stands out. Which do you prefer?

(1) Send the thank you notes quickly. Some companies start making decisions shortly after you walk out the door. E-mail is acceptable these days. Snail mail takes too long. Since surprisingly few applicants send a thank you, doing this is an easy way to stand out.

(2) Remember that the interview starts as soon as you walk in the door and doesn't end until you walk out (and maybe even extends to the parking lot). At some companies, even the receptionist will have an opinion on your suitability that could be factored into the hiring decision. Be nice to EVERYONE.

They are more experienced but there are many online websites and tools so that you can be informed beforehand. Check out Glassdoor, Indeed, Salary Fairy, etc and see what you should expect. When you know the market you can hardly get lowballed.

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